By VANESSA HO, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Published 10:00 pm, Monday, September 20, 2010

A historic commission that oversees Victor Steinbrueck Park is expected to vote Wednesday on a controversial set of proposed guidelines that would restrict new art, plants, structures and other changes at the famous downtown park.

The commission's desire for stricter controls is a reaction to its failure in trying to stop a homeless sculpture destined for Steinbrueck Park. In January, the commission rejected a bid to build a 13-foot, bronze "tree of life" to honor homeless people, only to have its decision reversed by a city hearing examiner in June.

That issue ignited a debate about the direction of the dodgy, historic park, often a hodgepodge of napping homeless people, drug deals and gawking tourists. Accusations of classism erupted when Tom Douglas's salmon bake was approved this summer at the park, while the homeless project was still tanked (Douglas promised to donate proceeds to park security). Last week, a triple stabbing at the park only added to Steinbrueck's shaky image.

Adjacent to Pike Place Market, the park is in line for major city upgrades, after voters approved a levy that included $1.6 million for the park. But Parks officials say those updates and other improvements will be hampered by stricter commission guidelines. "We want to address some of the public safety concerns, by having more activity in the park," such as buskers, music and food, said Eric Friedli, acting deputy superintendent of the Parks Department.

"Our concern is the guidelines are so restrictive that we wont be able to do any improvements in the park, and preference is to let the public process go through its course." He added that his department would work to recognize the park's historic character.

Although levy improvements are still unspecified, public ideas listed on the city's Steinbrueck website include lowering the park's berms for better security sightlines, installing a climbing wall, and planting more colorful greenery.

Some of those ideas rankle longtime Market advocates, who like their park as intended: A respite for low-income people who lived in the Market's many single-room occupancy buildings long ago.

"The park is activated, already," said Paul Dunn, former president of the Friends of the Market group. "Why doesn't Parks go to Hing Hay or Colman Park, or some of these other parks that are dead?"

Sara Patton, chairperson of the city-appointed Pike Place Market Historical Commission, said the proposed guidelines would restrict anything that changes the park's original design or views. But she said they would allow for leeway and personal judgment by commissioners.

She also said the commission did not reject the sculpture because it was about homeless people.

"We totally sympathized with the fact that it was for a low-income constituency," she said. "We strongly felt it was a major design change in the park. We think it will significantly change the view."

Or, in the words of Dunn, who once chaired the historic commission: "It could be a monument to motherhood, apple pie and Chevrolet, it doesn't belong there."

The project was organized by a group that includes Women in Black, which holds vigils for homeless people who've died. It will include a foot plaza and a planting bed of blueberries and other native plants.

Because Market guidelines discourage plaques and other memorials, it will include no names, but is intended to be part of a bigger project bronze "leaves of remembrance" on city's sidewalks.